Microsoft Fully Drops Support for Office for Mac 2011

[pika2000]

IMO people decided too quickly that they must have Office, even if it’s an old unsupported version.
Personally, I think most people don’t actually need Office. There are universities and even businesses that switched to Google Suite, showing that MS Office is overkill for the common usage scenarios. I myself don’t remember the last time I have to use MS Office. Google’s suite and iWork seem to do the job more often than not. The only annoyance is when you have to deal with somebody that can only save files in docx format.

 

[BornAgainMac]

Well, that notebook mode would kinda cool.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Companies have enterprise agreements. This enables them to use any currently supported version of software. It's a migration issue, not a software licensing issue.

They're welcome to remain using an old version, they just need to realize that it won't be secured through new updates any longer. Again, that's not the fault of Microsoft but instead the business running the software and refusing to update to a newer version.

 

[Hater]

They're welcome to remain using an old version, they just need to realize that it won't be secured through new updates any longer. Again, that's not the fault of Microsoft but instead the business running the software and refusing to update to a newer version.

Security issues is why loads of businesses are still stuck on 2003/2008 - Loads of Macros used for business critical stuff (Cognos etc) that hasn't been updated since 19-dickety-two - It becomes so much money to upgrade critical business platforms that they end up falling behind (And paying Microsoft an absolute bucketload in out-of-support support contracts...)

 

[SigEp265]

I still use 2008. I wish the world would drift away from being so dependent on Office. I prefer Pages and the Apple suite. Or even Google docs are great. But there are still too many things I need actual office for.

I agree, I work at a MS shop and I wish we would move away from office, visual studio, etc. So many better alternatives to Skype for business including Slack, etc. I hate having all my eggs in one basket.

 

[DataChris]

...I tried installing 2016 on this same Mac last year and found it to be an even worse experience so I promptly re-installed 2011....

I did the same (in 2015) Have been resisting mostly due to Outlook's lack of support for Email Color Category. 2.5 years people have been begging MS to bring this feature back but they haven't done it. Pretty much zero point to use it over Apple Mail without category color support. https://outlook.uservoice.com/forum...ack-the-option-of-coloring-column-view-text-b

 

[Altis]

IMO people decided too quickly that they must have Office, even if it’s an old unsupported version.
Personally, I think most people don’t actually need Office. There are universities and even businesses that switched to Google Suite, showing that MS Office is overkill for the common usage scenarios. I myself don’t remember the last time I have to use MS Office. Google’s suite and iWork seem to do the job more often than not. The only annoyance is when you have to deal with somebody that can only save files in docx format.

You can even use Microsoft's online version of Office (OneDrive).

I require locally-installed office suites, so LibreOffice is what I would use if I had the choice.

However, working with other people (at work or university) requires the guarantee that the files will open and function precisely how they should. Since MS Office is the standard and I end up using it to ensure compatibility with others.
[doublepost=1507842227][/doublepost]

I'm not Microsoft fan but show me another developer that actively updates their 7+ year old software, even when they have a newer version available. Apple, Adobe, and others don't.

Businesses rely on this software every day to help them generate billions of dollars in value. It's silly to think they can't be bothered to pay a small fee once every 7 or so years for something so critical to their business.

Indeed, they can't support products forever and I don't think most people reasonably expect them to.

As a side note, I will say that Microsoft tends to provide very long useful lifespans of software and compatibility. Each year, macOS "upgrades" cause all kinds of compatibility issues that require the software to be thoroughly updated.

Meanwhile, you can often run tons of old software in Windows from even the 90s. Computers from 2007 have Windows 10 installed with support into what, 2025? Windows 7 support until 2020.

 

[wikiverse]

thanks! I did not know that. My docs usually aren't that complicated, although I do use Track Changes sometimes during my day job.

Commenting and track changes do still import and export, they just work a bit differently in pages (not always displayed, and they sit to the left rather than the right. It does work well on importing, but exporting back to .docx can sometimes be a little unreliable.

Worth giving it a shot through.

That said, Pages and Keynote are ok (despite pages ditching canvas mode, vertical ruler and facing pages), but numbers is SEVERELY under-featured compared to Excel. If you're doing anything remotely complicated in excel, I would stick with it.

 

[boppin]

well, Office was supported nearly 7 years. How long do get support from Apple?

 

[Gary Dee]

I just installed the latest version of Office on High Sierra, and it is fully functional either. So, not much difference.

 

[elgarak1]

But that's negligent of them as corporations (and government agencies) since those outdated software are exactly the optimal targets for hackers, malware, trojans, etc. — especially now that MS will no longer update or issue security patches.

It's a bloody Office suite! It's malware cross section, even outdated, should be small. Office is crap, and that it has such a high malware target cross section is entry 5 on its "reasons of crappiness" list.

I'm not entirely sure if the Office 2016 even has a smaller target cross section than 2011.

My Mac is currently Microsoft-free. I may have to exchange .doc-files with others at some point, though (that's right. .doc. NOT .docx. Adoption in publishing of .docx is rather small). But there are good chances that I can do that with 3rd party software faster, easier, and safer, and avoid bloody Word altogether. (LibreOffice, Pages, Nisus Writer, export to .doc from others).

 

[Ener Ji]

Agree with the suggestions to use Google Docs. More than sufficient for most uses, and superior in some ways when it comes to collaboration.

 

[Booch21]

I have this version but rarely use it these days. Pages, Numbers and Keynote are working quite well when I need to work on Office documents. Plus it seems like it beats the hard drive senseless when it loads up and takes forever to start.

 

[Le Big Mac]

I'm not Microsoft fan but show me another developer that actively updates their 7+ year old software, even when they have a newer version available. Apple, Adobe, and others don't.

The case would be stronger if Microsoft actually updated the software more than once in 7 years.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

The case would be stronger if Microsoft actually updated the software more than once in 7 years.

Not a Microsoft fan but they still update their Office and other products regularly, even though they're 5+ years old. No new features but bug and security fixes.

 

[Le Big Mac]

Not a Microsoft fan but they still update their Office and other products regularly, even though they're 5+ years old. No new features but bug and security fixes.

True - my bigger point was really that they're dropping support for the second most major release not long after the most recent major release. That the previous one is 7 years old reflects in the infrequency of releases.

 

[pika2000]

Not a Microsoft fan but they still update their Office and other products regularly, even though they're 5+ years old. No new features but bug and security fixes.

It’s not like Microsoft want to, they have to. Their largest customer are enterprise who have much longer upgrade cycle, not consumer. Even in enterprise, Microsoft is pushing Office 365 hard so they can ditch their legacy products.

 

[boppin]

It’s not like Microsoft want to, they have to. Their largest customer are enterprise who have much longer upgrade cycle, not consumer. Even in enterprise, Microsoft is pushing Office 365 hard so they can ditch their legacy products.

Microsoft has roadmaps, Apple has not.

 

[pika2000]

Microsoft has roadmaps, Apple has not.

Yeah, Microsoft has roadmaps that Windows Phone is a total success.
Roadmaps don't translate to better. Longhorn, Vista, Windows Phone, etc.

Talking back to software support, Microsoft's main customer are enterprises. Apple's main customer are consumers. Those two market segments have different needs and thus different level of product supports.

 

[jblagden]

IMO people decided too quickly that they must have Office, even if it’s an old unsupported version.
Personally, I think most people don’t actually need Office. There are universities and even businesses that switched to Google Suite, showing that MS Office is overkill for the common usage scenarios. I myself don’t remember the last time I have to use MS Office. Google’s suite and iWork seem to do the job more often than not. The only annoyance is when you have to deal with somebody that can only save files in docx format.

I agree. For offline documents, there's always LibreOffice, which actually supports MS Office formats.

 

[tebbe]

Wouldn't expect anyone to support a 7 year old piece of software when there are much newer versions available.

[doublepost=1509567713][/doublepost]Actually, MS supports Office for Windows for ten years. Mac users are getting cheated.

 

[boppin]

[doublepost=1509567713][/doublepost]Actually, MS supports Office for Windows for ten years. Mac users are getting cheated.

Perhaps this is because pf Apple "lifecycle" and that Mac users are using always the latest versions.

 

[mikzn]

Personally, very pleased with the support Microsoft has given the 2011 office suite especially outlook - it has worked great on 7 OS versions from snow leopard to High Sierra. I have 2 licensed copies on 3 macs working fine and good value for the price.
Interestingly - since they have announced "discontinuing support for 2011" they have released 2 updates for 2011 now at 14.7.7 so maybe they will still offer some minor support and minor fixes

I use Outlook Excel Word everyday and they work perfectly - I know I will have to update to 2016 eventually but right now 2011 still works great!

 

[iMi]

Personally, very pleased with the support Microsoft has given the 2011 office suite especially outlook - it has worked great on 7 OS versions from snow leopard to High Sierra. I have 2 licensed copies on 3 macs working fine and good value for the price.
Interestingly - since they have announced "discontinuing support for 2011" they have released 2 updates for 2011 now at 14.7.7 so maybe they will still offer some minor support and minor fixes

I use Outlook Excel Word everyday and they work perfectly - I know I will have to update to 2016 eventually but right now 2011 still works great!

Meh, skip it and go for Office 2021 at this point. You've gone this far...

On a more serious note, I started having a lot of problems with office lately. Between Apple and Microsoft updates, the quality has just totally declined. I decided to ditch it for the time being (with the expiation of Excel). Using native mail application and iWorks.

So far so good.

Microsoft is going to release a completely revamped office for Mac soon. It will look and feel a lot more like the native apps. We'll see what they cook up. Although knowing Microsoft, it will probably be the same code underneath with the same old problems and just a new facelift.

 

[Clancy Redbeard]

If I keep Office for Mac 2011, am I in danger of having all my old word files - THOUSANDS of them! - becoming corrupt? Or not working for the next Mac update? What else could go wrong? Are there security issues?

I’ve been reading lots of people hate Office 2016. I mostly use Word for word processing - not much special formatting. I don't use the other programs. Thanks.